Numerous containers have been provided in prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,083,877 to Gash; 4,157,103 to La Fleur; 5,174,458 to Segati; 5,447,110 to Brown; 5,562,221 to Beniacar and 5,740,942 to Araujo, Jr. all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
The Gash U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,877 discloses a collapsible container with corrugations to facilitate the collapse of its walls. A collapsible container comprising a stiff, flexible synthetic plastic material defining an enclosure substantially rectangular in plan view and having rounded corners. The material providing top and bottom walls and back and side walls integral with one another. The top wall having an eccentric opening. An externally threaded upstanding tubular neck is in the opening. The walls defining corrugations extending horizontally around the surface of the container. The corrugations comprising alternating ridges and valleys constituting a plurality of normally extended accordion pleats having fold lines coincidental with the ridges and valleys and extending parallel to one another horizontally around the surface of the container. The material having a thickness to normally enable self support of the container but permitting vertical collapse of the container under the action of a vertical compression force on the container. The top and bottom walls having rounded peripheral portions to strengthen the container to permit supporting a liquid contained in the container. The rounded peripheral portions of the top and bottom walls being provided with spaced narrow horizontal fold lines extending around each of the rounded corners thereof. The latter fold lines enabling collapse of the container under the action of a vertical compression force with the container unfilled while substantially unaffecting the increased strength provided by the rounded peripheral portions for supporting liquids in the container.
The La Fleur U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,103 discloses a container. A container molded in full capacity configuration and which is collapsible accordion-fashion to a storage configuration.
The Segati U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,458 discloses a collapsible container. A collapsible container having substantially planar front and rear walls and interconnecting side walls that define inwardly extending V-shaped panels. A plurality of transversely extending stiffening grooves are provided in the front and rear panels to minimize outward bulging of the front and rear panels when the bottle is filled with a liquid material. A plurality of bridging members is formed in the side panels to bridge the adjacent side panels at a longitudinal fold line to minimize outward bulging of the side wall when the container is filled with liquid. To collapse the container the front and rear panels are urged together, and the side panels move inwardly about the longitudinal hinge line so that the bottle assumes a flat condition. The flattened bottle occupies considerably less space in waste disposal facilities.
The Brown U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,110 discloses a collapsible container. To store an emergency container in the hub cavity of a spare tire within the truck compartment of an automobile with a spare tire. The container is collapsible, having a top end and a bottom end with handles on each of the top end and bottom end to permit the container to be expanded. An opening extends along the axis of the container to receive a spindle for holding the collapsed container in the center of the spare tire until needed. The walls of said container containing foldable members to permit collapsing and opening of the container.
The Beniacar U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,221 discloses a foldable bottle with fastening element. A bottle is made of flexible material which can be folded or rolled up into a deformed configuration of limited dimensions. The bottle comprises, between the pouring neck and side walls, elements which engage with a fastening element which can be fitted onto the bottle to keep it in the deformed configuration.
The Araujo, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,942 discloses a collapsible container. The present invention relates to a new and improved collapsible container for use in transporting and dispensing fluids, primarily gasoline. In its broadest context, the present invention includes a flexible liner with at least three sides. Furthermore, metallic reinforcing walls are secured to at least two of these walls. Due to the material characteristics of the reinforcing walls, specifically a memory steel, a spring force is created which tends to urge the reinforcing walls inwardly. However, the presence of a fluid within the container overcomes this spring force and keeps the container in its non-collapsed or opened configuration.